The first of four K-13 courses proposed by Prensky (see January 9 Sustaining the Journey) is Effective Thinking. He proposes the following to be the content that would be systemically taught.

Critical Thinking

Mathematical Thinking

Scientific Thinking

Creative Thinking

Problem-Solving

Inquiry Skills

Argument Skills

Design Thinking

Judgment

Aesthetics

Habits of Mind

Self-knowledge of One’s Own Passions and Strengths

His thesis is that these are only taught sporadically in some schools and this would become more systematic and systemic. Graduates would leave schools with consciousness, craftsmanship and efficacy as thinkers. Content would be a means to teach thinking rather than an end in and of itself. He proposes there would be some general skills for all and some individual differentiation based on student needs and interests.

Imagine how your own education might have been different if this was the curriculum. We believe the work of Habits of Mind (http://habitsofmind.org) is far ahead of its time in promoting this work. Schools adopting the work of Costa and Kallick have demonstrated dramatic results.

So apply your own critical thinking skills to this proposal. What are its merits? What might be some deficits? How might kids become different and/or more successful if they spent 13 years learning to think? Imagine…

Source: Prensky, Marc. “The world needs a new curriculum.” Educational Technology. May-June 2014. http://marcprensky.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Prensky-5-The-World_Needs_a_New_Curriculum.pdf